| Ray Chapman | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Shortstop | |
| Born: January 15, 1891 Beaver Dam, Kentucky, U.S. | |
| Died: August 17, 1920 (aged 29) Manhattan, New York, U.S. | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| August 30, 1912, for the Cleveland Indians | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| August 16, 1920, for the Cleveland Indians | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Batting average | .278 |
| Home runs | 17 |
| Runs batted in | 364 |
| Stats at Baseball Reference | |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
Raymond Johnson Chapman (January 15, 1891 – August 17, 1920) was an American baseball player. He spent his entire career as a shortstop for the Cleveland Indians.
Chapman was hit in the head by a pitch thrown by pitcher Carl Mays and died 12 hours later. He is, as of 2024[update], the only player to die directly from an injury received during a major league game.[1][2] His death led baseball to establish a rule requiring umpires to replace the ball whenever it becomes dirty. Chapman's death and sanitary concerns also led to the ban on spitballs after the 1920 season.[3][4] Chapman's death was also one of the examples cited to justify the wearing of batting helmets. However, it took over 30 years to adopt the rule that required their use.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
plaquewas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Goodman, Rebecca (2005). This Day in Ohio History. Emmis Books. p. 250. ISBN 9781578601912. Retrieved November 21, 2013.
- ^ Wulf, Steve (April 13, 1981). "Tricks Of The Trade". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved April 23, 2018.
- ^ Terbush, Jon (May 3, 2013). "Spitballs, nail files, and other ways pitchers cheat". The Week. Retrieved April 23, 2018.